Aim: To evaluate the type of venous involvement in Chinese Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) patients and the relative diagnostic accuracy of the different imaging modalities.
Methods: Using digital subtraction angiography (DSA) as a reference standard, color Doppler ultrasound (CDUS), computed tomography angiography (CTA), and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) were performed on 338 patients with BCS. We analyzed the course of the main and any accessory hepatic veins (HVs) and the inferior vena cava (IVC) to assess the etiology of obstructed segments and diagnostic accuracy of CDUS, CTA and MRA.
Results: Among the 338 cases, there were 8 cases (2.4%) of isolated IVC membranous obstruction, 45 cases (13.3%) of isolated HV occlusion, and 285 cases (84.3%) with both IVC membranous obstruction and HV occlusion. Comparing with DSA, CDUS, CTA had a diagnostic accuracy of 89.3% and 80.2% in detecting BCS, and 83.4% of cases correctly correlated by MRA.
Conclusion: In Henan Province, most patients with BCS have complex lesions combining IVC and HV involvement. The combination of CDUS and CTA or MRI is useful for diagnosis of BCS and guiding therapy.